Saying Yes to the Dress

In less than 5 months time I will be getting married. I can’t believe I just said that. It feels like it was just yesterday when I had tears streaming down my face as I said “Yes”, in Bali. And now 11 months on, the big day is just around the corner and all I can think about is wearing my wedding dress.

Wedding dress shopping is such a wonderful experience. First there is the excitement of browsing the internet and wedding magazines for the perfect dress and then the excitement grows are you arrive at the shop to try on a few dresses. It is a special moment but it can sometimes end in heartache and disappointment as many brides expect to have that lightbulb moment when the reality is, it probably wont happen.

But that doesn’t mean that you haven’t found the right dress

Here are a few tips that I have learned along the way to make sure that you find the perfect dress when the time comes:

Take your time

Time is usually limited when you’re dress shopping so arrive with an idea in your head of which dresses you would like to try on. Take your time to look at the dress and study the detail before you put it on. Once the dress is on, you might be able to make up your mind immediately. Some of the dresses that I had tried on were a ‘NO’ before the shop assistant had even pined the dress together! I spent around 5-10 minutes in the dresses that I liked. I walked around the shop in them and then tried a veil on to complete the look. Take your time, rushing to buy your wedding dress is one of the worst decisions that you could ever make.

Be open to suggestions

You may have an idea in your head of your perfect dress, but be open to suggestions. I think I tried on 5 dresses of a similar style before I decided that the style that I thought would suit me, didn’t suit me at all. I guess that’s the beauty of dress shopping, you won’t know until you try. If you’re completely stuck, ask the shop assistance for guidance. She’s probably seen hundreds of brides, all different shapes and sizes and it’s her job to know which styles will suit your body type best. My mother was the one who actually chose my wedding dress. She saw something in it, that I didn’t see at first. She saw me. And when I tried it on, I saw me too.

You may change your mind

Once you buy your dress, you may change your mind… which is exactly what I did! I tried on the most beautiful dresses and unfortunately for me, I loved all of them! I initially picked a dress that I was really happy with, but when I got home I started looking at all of the photos on my phone and it was in that moment when I realised that I had said yes to the wrong dress. Changing your mind our having second thoughts is completely normal. It’s such a big decision to make, of course you’re going to question your choice. If you do feel like you have made the wrong choice, contact your dress shop as soon as possible. The sooner you do it, the quicker you’ll be able to change your dress or reassure your mind.

Stop looking

When you find your dress, stop looking at other dresses because this is only going to confuse you. After I changed my dress, I deleted all of the photographs of other dresses because I didn’t want another dress to catch my eye. It may be tempting, but don’t do it to yourself. Don’t torture your mind. Trust your decision and believe in your ability to choose the most perfect dress for you.

The one thing that I hope you take from this experience is enjoyment. Sip your glass of champagne and pretend you’re in Sex and the City as your hands stroke the delicate lace dresses and smile as the tears roll down your cheek when you realise that you have found the right dress.